Senior Planner



Senior Planner

Salary

$92,185.60 - $124,238.40 Annually

Location

Orange County

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

2116SM-0623-080 (O)

Department

OC Public Works

Opening Date

06/30/2023

Closing Date

7/12/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

CAREER DESCRIPTION

OC Public Works
SENIOR PLANNER
 
Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization. 

In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive salary range increases on the following dates:
 
Effective June 28, 2024 – 4.25% increase
 
Effective June 27, 2025 – 4.00% increase

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This recruitment is being held to establish an eligible list to fill current and future Senior Planner positions throughout the County of Orange. The eligible list may also be used to fill similar vacancies in other agencies or to fill lower-level classifications within the same occupational series. 

Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 11:59PM PST


OC PUBLIC WORKS
OC Public Works provides services on a regional basis to unincorporated areas, to cities, and to other County agencies and departments. The primary mission of the department is to protect and enrich the community through efficient delivery and maintenance of public works infrastructure, planning, and development services. OC Public Works core values are integrity, accountability, service and trust.
 
OC Public Works is a unique County department comprised of ten service areas: OC Development Services; OC Fleet Services; OC Administrative Services; OC Facilities Design & Construction; OC Facilities Maintenance & Central Utilities Facility; OC Infrastructure Programs; OC Construction; OC Operations & Maintenance; OC Survey; and OC Environmental Resources. The Department currently has a workforce in excess of 950 positions.

Click here for more information on OC Public Works.
Click here for more information on the County of Orange. 


THE OPPORTUNITY

OC Development Services oversees the planning and development entitlement requirements for private and public projects within the County’s unincorporated areas. The service area is responsible for four types of planning activities, including Current, Advance, Subdivision and Environmental planning. This includes permit processing, inspection services and management of zoning, building and code regulations – all to ensure safe and responsible property development and community standards. 

The service area is seeking a Senior Planner to perform highly specialized interdisciplinary work related to Advanced and Environmental Planning, and provide a source of leadership and expertise on County planning issues and functions. Those placed in this position will be responsible for:

  • Performing complex reviews of various environmental and planning documents
  • Presenting projects and reports to approving authorities
  • Preparing written documents, staff reports and public notices  
  • Reviewing and processing comprehensive planning documents, including interpreting applicable regulations and codes
  • Responding to public inquiries and assist in the interpretation of ordinance, laws and regulations as they pertain to land development
  • Ensuring all projects are in compliance with local and state regulations.
The position of Senior Planner represents an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of development, and ensure that Orange County remains a safe, healthy, and fulfilling place to live, work and play, today and for generations to come. 


DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate will possess a minimum 4 years of experience and/or knowledge in planning and land development and will possess a Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Public Administration, or a related degree.

The successful candidate will be experienced in providing leadership and direction to staff to ensure delivery of efficient, high quality services specific to Advance and Environmental planning projects. In addition to the education and experience requirements as listed in the minimum qualifications, the successful candidate will possess the following core competencies:

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE 
  • Knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
  • Knowledge of federal, state and local laws, County ordinances and codes pertaining to environmental planning for County and development projects
  • Knowledge in the theory, principles and techniques of the planning profession and development process to properly implement zoning, grading, building and development related regulations
  • Knowledge in the principles and practices of regional, county and city planning principles and techniques of the planning profession
  • Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION 
  • Present information in a clear, logical and concise manner both orally and in writing
  • Successfully interact with various governmental organizations and review boards
  • Collaborate with engineers, inspection teams, land developers and other parties involved with each planning project 
  • Handle conflict in a professional and diplomatic manner

LEADERSHIP 
  • Ability to provide training to subordinate planners and administrative staff
  • Encourage recognition and collaboration to influence the success of outcomes
  • Engage staff, partners and the public in developing goals, executing plans and delivering results

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Click here to view the complete classification description for Senior Planner.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.   


RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Services screens all application materials for minimum qualifications. After screening, candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All candidates will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Structured Oral Interview | (Weighted 100%): Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a Structured Oral Interview (SOI) panel of job knowledge experts. Only the highest scoring candidates will be placed on the eligible list.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Eligible List
Once the assessments have been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please see below for important information regarding COVID-19 related recommendations.
 
Effective April 3, 2023, it is strongly recommended that County employees working in health care settings and correctional facilities follow vaccination and booster guidelines provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please click here to see the latest guidance for more details. 


EMAIL NOTIFICATION:

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. 

Questions? 

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Zachary Gutierrez at 714-667-1623 or Zachary.Gutierrez@ocpw.ocgov.com

EEO INFORMATION


Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer,
encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).

 

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information


Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

 

01
Select the areas which best describes your experience, education, and knowledge:
  • Current Planning: Implementation of zoning and related codes, processing development applications, and project coordination with public agencies
  • Environmental Planning: Review and preparation of CEQA and/or NEPA documents
  • Advance Planning: Review and preparation of long-range planning documents, demographic research, and development of ordinances
  • I do not possess any of the experience identified above
02
Select the planning areas below in which you possess experience.
  • Land use planning/regulations and urban design, including site plan review and/or interpretation and application of land use regulations
  • Subdivision projects (e.g., Tract Maps, Parcel Maps, Lot Line Adjustments, etc.)
  • Communicating with public officials and presenting at public meetings
  • Managing a planning project that required coordination with other internal departments on a project (building, engineering, traffic, etc.)
  • Managing a planning project that required coordination with public agencies outside your organization (i.e., US Fish and Wildlife, California Fish & Wildlife, Fire Authorities, California Coastal Commission, Army Core of Engineers, etc.)
  • Environmental assessment, including understanding of CEQA/NEPA Guidelines
  • Long range planning, housing, General Plans, and Zoning Codes
  • None of the above.
03
For each planning area you checked off in question 2, briefly describe your experience in that area (1-2 sentences per area).
04
Describe your experience as a lead planner or project manager. Please include the department/function, your title, your oversight responsibilities, type and level of staff supervised, reporting relationships and total number of staff. If you do not have this type of experience, please enter N/A.

Required Question

Employer
County of Orange
Address
400 W CIVIC CENTER DRIVE

Santa Ana, California, 92701
Phone
714-834-2555